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2001/02 Reports

Match facts:

Reading goals: None
Assists: None
Opposition goals: After 25 and 89 minutes
Half-time: Reading 0 Tottenham Hotspur 1
Gamebreaker: Tottenham's second goal
Attendance: 21,874
Referee: Paul Armstrong (Thatcham)

Reading line-up: Phil Whitehead; Graeme Murty (Chris Casper, 81 minutes), Adie Williams, Adrian Whitbread, Adi Viveash (Sammy Igoe, 67 minutes), Matthew Robinson (Nicky Shorey, 90 minutes); James Harper, Phil Parkinson (Joe Gamble, 67 minutes), Alex Smith; Martin Butler (Andre Fashanu, 81 minutes), Anthony Rougier (Darius Henderson, 79 minutes)
Subs not used: Jamie Ashdown, Barry Hunter
Reading yellow cards: None
Reading red cards: None

Match report:

There was a time when clubs weren't allowed to play pre-season games against other teams in the League. That of course is part of the reason why this game saw a new record attendance for a Reading friendly game. Nevertheless, it's still pretty impressive that we can manage a full stadium for a meaningless match like this.

Reading's clear man-of-the-match was Phil Whitehead. At the start of last season I saw him as a solid keeper but little more. In March and April he began to shine, and if his performance in this game is repeated on a regular basis, then we are just not going to let in any goals this season. And when you think about our goalscoring potential, that's a pretty good state of affairs.

The first decent chance of this game came our way. James Harper broke through the last line of defence following a quick passing move, and took the ball round the Tottenham goalkeeper. However, he was unable to control it well enough to get a shot at the unguarded net, and the move ended as a goal-kick.

Reading's only other decent goal attempt in the first half was when Alex Smith got in front of a defender in the penalty area and was able to get his head to a cross. The ball just glanced off his head and went well wide. When we did go forward our more promising moves were often ended by fouls - in fact, it appeared that Tottenham's Yugoslavian centre-back could only stop Martin Butler by fouling him. That doesn't bode well for how he's going to cope in the Premiership. (Incidentally, the other Tottenham centre-back, a young Englishman, seemed to have little difficulty in stopping Butler legally.)

In general, though, Tottenham did look like a team from a higher division. They were able to close down our moves quickly, whilst some of their own passing looked incredibly slick compared to what I'm used to watching. In the first half they didn't really show much finishing ability, but did manage to take the lead. Their centre-forward made a good run onto the ball, and easily outpaced our central defenders. He was then able to square the ball for another unmarked player to shoot low inside Whitehead's right-hand post.

Their only other chance of the half resulted in a good save from Whitehead.

After the interval, Reading had one chance to equalise. Anthony Rougier played a one-two and got the ball just outside the area with no defenders between him and the goal. As he ran forward he was cynically fouled by a defender - in a League game it might have been a red card for a professional foul, but in a friendly we only got a free-kick, which Graeme Murty put high and wide. Murty had also taken a free-kick just outside the area in the first half which he kept down but was blocked. I don't believe that we intend to use Murty for free-kicks - I think it's just a bluff in case any of our opponents early in the season are watching.

Reading started to make substitutions, including a switch to a standard 4-4-2 formation when Sammy Igoe replaced Adi Viveash. Whilst I expected the Premiership side to make a whole host of changes, they stuck with their starting line-up, meaning that essentially we had a mixture of first team and reserves against their first team. Not surprisingly, Spurs had far more of the game in the second half, and Whitehead was called on to make save after save. I thought the best was from a deflected shot, as the Spurs right-back (booed throughout the game by a section of the travelling support) broke forward and shot off one of our defenders.

In the last minute, even Whitehead couldn't stop an arrow of a low drive that crept in off the foot of the post, making the score 2-0 to Tottenham and a more accurate reflection of the game. I think there was quite a lot to be pleased with from the Reading perspective - there was a definite move away from hoofball and towards a passing game.

The one genuinely new player (if you don't count Adrian Whitbread) was Alex Smith - he made one good run towards the end of the game, but I didn't notice him do too much else and will therefore need to reserve judgement.

Match notes:

The attendance was a record for a Reading pre-season fixture, whilst there were clearly more Tottenham fans present than any other away side has brought to Madejski Stadium.

This match saw the first home game for Alex Smith, although he has played at Madejski Stadium before for Port Vale. When Chris Casper came on as sub it was his first appearance for the Reading first team since Boxing Day 1999, when his leg was broken. Andre Fashanu's appearance from the subs bench was his first ever game for our first team.

Match preview:

None.

Ticket information from the official Reading site:

Tickets went on sale at Madejski Stadium on Monday July 2nd, priced as follows:

Adults: £10 in advance, £14 on matchday
Concessions: £5 in advance, £9 on matchday
Restricted view: £1 (68 seats available in the Lower West Stand, to be used as background for filming of a car commercial)

These prices (apart from restricted view) apply to all stands, including the Upper West. There will be a reserved seating policy in all stands except the North. Away fans should purchase their tickets from Madejski Stadium and will be required to sit in the South Stand.

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